Just yesterday I recieved a letter from Laura at the SeaBird Chronicles. She stated that she found my address on AnySoldier.com and was sending a package my way! I was pretty excited about that! I submitted my soldiers on AnySoldier but I never put myself on there, I'm thinking that someone who cared enough enrolled me in as well. So I wanted to show my appreciation to all the individuals who care enough about us soldiers out here to send care packages.

Im currently stationed at FOB Salerno, Khost Province, AF. My name is Evi. I'm the assistant team leader for the Human Intelligence Team here. Im the only female on my team left. There are 6 males left on this team and I usually have to play "mommy" for all of them. I like it though. It passes a lot of time and it makes me feel useful in many ways. The boys have enough smarts to keep themselves out of trouble but it gets bad when we start thinking about everyone we love back home. Bad dreams get us the most. Or atleast me. We're taking malaria prevention pills out here. Some of the side effects are vivid dreams, and hallucinations. I think we've all experienced them by now. We've been out here sincce Dec 2006.

When we recieve carepackages from individuals, we take most of the food items and put them up on our "goody" shelf for everyone to share, magazines go on the coffee table. We also save some of the toys, paper, pens, crayons, coloring books, and everything of that sort to hand out to the Afghan children. They really don't have much to use out here due to the poverty and welfare of their poor economy. it makes me happy when some of the kids get polite, but it angers me sometimes because the really poilite children are always the last ones to get anything. Most of these children just ask for a simple pen. It baffled me for the longest time, but the pens make them ecstatic! I used to hand out pens to the kids until I ran out! Then there were more children that didn't get a pen so I gave them my MREs and water from behind my HMWVV, that was supposed to be my lunch and dinner for the next few days. It didn't matter to me because there were other MREs and water in the other vehicles we had out there. I always wanted to go out with a lot of gifts for the populace whenever I went to talk to them. Some of these people are hospitable, to the point that they'll get offended if you turn them down if they've offered you "chai", tea.

Well...I just wanted to thank everyone who cares about us out here. I also wanted to let everyone know that whatever you send to us is being put to good use. Very good use. I really appreciate the support and assistance with providing humanitarian aide to the local afghan nationals! Much love goes to you!

If you want to send more care packages, please send chewy items..twizzlers, sour patch kids, skittles, swedish fish, haribu raspberries, gummy bears, jelly belly, snackwells mint chocolate cookie cakes, devils food cakes, black forest cookie cakes, chips ahoy, brownies

paper pads of all sorts and sizes, pens, pencils, books, learning books, coloring books, crayons, pencil sharpeners, back packs, shoes (children's sizes), clothes for all sizes; adult and children, blankets, hats, unbrellas, gum

Here is our address to send your carepackages:

THT-Khost Province
c/o Evi Bathiche
A202/TFL
FOB Salerno
APO AE, 09314